Cash register



Dec. 13, 1938. E. BRE I TLING EF AL 3 ,7

CASH REGISTER Filed Sept. 4, 1936 3 SheetsSheet 1 3m gntors Ernst Braiding and Erich Wagner Their (Ittorneg Dec; 1'933- E. BREITLING El AL 2,139,719

CASH REGISTER Filed Sept; 4, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3 Z44 Enventors Ernst Breitling and Erich Wagner Their attorney Dec. 13, 19 38. E. BREITLING ET AL I 2,139,719

CASH REGISTER I Filed Sept. 4, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 714m lm ress/ans Be arus/0n 0 fi e/7% jig/63M 64 One Impression 3nventors Ernst Breitling and Erich Wagner g l/ aw Their (Ittorneg Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE many, assignors to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland (1926) Application September 4, 1936, Serial No. 99,328

' In Germany September 13, 1935 7 Claims.

This invention relates to cash registers and accounting machines, and more particularly to printing mechanism which is adapted to selectively effect a variable number of impressions on record material by a single printing hammer, which is operated by a single cam member, during each operation of the machine.

Heretofore in mechanisms of this type only the printing hammer was disabled at the time no impression was to be made, while the actuating means for said hammer was permitted to operate for each printing stroke of which the hammer was capable of being operated. This resulted in an unnecessary load being placed on the operating means for the machine and caused an unnecessary amount of wear on the idly operated parts.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide novel means for preventing unnecessary operation of the printing hammer actuating means, thereby reducing the load thus ordinarily placed on the machine operating means and consequently reducing the amount of wear on certain parts of said actuating means.

Another object is to provide a printing hammer actuating cam and means whereby said cam is rendered ineffective when no impression is to be made by its associated printing hammer.

An additional object is to provide means for controlling the eifectivity of a printing hammer actuating cam to thereby selectively effect a variable number of impressions from a set of type elements by a single printing hammer during each operation of. the machine.

A further object is to provide a cam which coasts with a spring-tensioned member to cause the latter to impart a plurality of strokes to a a single printing hammer during an operation of the machine, and means for controlling said member so that said cam is rendered ineifective when'no stroke of the hammer is to be made, thus controlling the number of impressions which the hammer will make from a set of type elements during such operation of the machine.

Another object is to provide means for disabling the printing hammer actuating means during certain operations of the machine to thereby cause a variable number of printing operations to be made.

It is a specific object of this invention to disable the printing hammer actuating means when no impression is to be made to prevent unnecessary operation thereof, thus reducing the load on the operating mechanism and unnecessary wear on certain parts of said actuating means.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of which is'hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

Of said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the printing hammer Fig. 4 is a side view of the impression control keys and the differential mechanism controlled thereby.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a portion of the mechanism for preventing operation of the printing hammer actuating means.

Fig. 6 is a time chart wherein the dotted lines represent the operation of the printing hammer actuating arm, While the solid line represents the blocking means for holding said arm against operation.

The invention is herein shown embodied in a machine which may be either electrically or hand operated, as preferred. Such machine is provided with the usual amount and transaction keys (not shown), the amount keys being used to enter values into the machine, while the transaction keys control the selection of the proper totalizers into which such values are added. In addition, these keys control the adjustment of type wheels GI and 62 (Fig. 3) to print amounts and symbols corresponding to the amount keys and transaction keys, respectively, which are depressed. The machine is further provided with two special impression control keys 63 and 94 (Fig. 4) which are used to selectively control the printing mechanism to effect a variable number of impressions from the type wheels by a single printing hammer during each operation of the machine. The keys 63 and 64 also control a diiferential mechanism for adjusting a type wheel 9| to print various kinds of characters to designate the various impressions which the printing hammer is capable of making during an operation of the machine.

The printing mechanism, as shown in the accompanying drawings, is capable of selectively effecting, under control of the special keys 63 and 64, from one to three impressions from the type wheels by a single printing hammer during each operation of the machine. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is thus shown only by way of illustration, as it is capable of being constructed and arranged to cause the printing hammer to make a greater variety of numbers of impressions during an operation of the machine.

Since this invention relates only to the printing mechanism only that mechanism and its associated feeding mechanism are shown and described herein.

Special keys 63 and 64 The special keys 63 and 64 (Fig. 4) are slidably mounted in a key frame 65 carried by rods 66 and 61 supported at their ends in the side frames of the machine. The keys 63 and 64 carry laterally projecting studs 68 and 60, respectively, which, when said keys are depressed, coact with inclined slots I and II, respectively, in a detent I2 and rock the latter upwardly against the action of a spring I3. The detent I2 is supported at its lower end by a bifurcated portion thereof embracing a stud I4 carried by the frame 65, while at its upper end it is pivotally connected to a zero stop pawl I pivoted on a stud I6 in the frame 65. Thus whenever the detent I2 is rocked upward in the manner just described it will rock the zero stop pawl I5 clockwise to an ineffective position. Another detent (not shown), of an old and well known type, retains the keys 63 and 64 in their depressed positions until near the end of the operation 01 the machine, when said detent is caused to release the keys to the action of coiled springs (not shown) which return them to their normal undepressed positions. When this occurs the spring I3 then returns the detent I2 downwardly to its home position and, at the same time, moves the pawl I5 counter-clockwise to its normal effective position. The differential mechanism controlled by the keys 63 and 64 will now be described.

Difierential mechanism The differential mechanism associated with the special keys 63 and 64 adjusts means for controlling the number of printing strokes imparted to the printing hammer I9 during each operation of the machine, as will be hereinafter described.

This differential mechanism includes a differentially movable actuator 80 (Fig. 4) which, through a latch BI pivoted thereon, is driven first clockwise and then counter-clockwise during each operation of the machine by a driving segment 82 fast on a shaft 83 journaled at its ends in the side frames of the machine. A foot 84 on the latch 8I is constantly held in cooperative relation with the periphery of the segment 82 by a spring 85. The driving segment 82 receives a constant excursion of movement, first in a clockwise direction and then in a counter-clockwise direction, during each operation of the machine by means hereinafter described.

As the segment 82 is thus rocked clockwise the foot 84 of the latch 8| will, near the end of such movement, be rocked into engagement with a shoulder 85 on said segment by the spring 85. Then as the segment 82 is returned counterclockwise to its home position it will, through the engagement of the shoulder 86 with the foot 84, carry the latch 8| and the actuator 80 along with it until a resilient pawl 81 on said latch strikes either the zero stop pawl I5 or the stem of a depressed key 63 or 64. When this occurs the pawl 8! is thereby rocked clockwise and causes the latch 8| to be rocked likewise. This disengages the foot 84 from the shoulder 06 and, at the same of the spring I28. roller I2I, the spring I26 acts to rock the arm Each of such clockwise m0ve-' time, engages a locking projection 88 on said latch with one of a series of notches 09 in a locking plate 90 attached to the frame 65. The actuator 80 is thus locked in its moved position, while the segment 82 continues its counter-clockwise movement until it reaches its home position. In this manner the actuator 80 is differentially positioned to adjust means hereinafter described for controlling the number of printing strokes imparted to the hammer I9 during each operation of the machine. The means for actuating the driving segment 82 will now be described.

Secured to a main drive shaft I00, suitably journaled at its end in the machine side frames, is a cam IOI having a cam groove I02 coacting with a roller I03 on an arm I04 pivotally mounted on a rod I05 suitably supported in the machine. The shaft I 00 and cam IOI receive one complete rotation in a clockwise direction upon each operation of the machine. When this occurs, the configuration of the groove I02 is such that the cam IOI will rock the arm I04 first counter-clockwise and then clockwise during each operation of the machine. The arm I04 has formed integral therewith a toothed rack I06 meshing with a segment I01 secured to the shaft 83. It will thus be apparent that when the cam IOI rocks the arm I0 in the manner just described, the latter will, in turn, rock the gear I01, shaft 83 and driving segment 82 first clockwise and then counterclockwise.

The differentially movable actuator 80 is returned to its home position during the next succeeding operation of the machine by a surface 03 on the segment 82 coacting with a stud 94 on said actuator when the segment is rocked clockwise.

Printing mechanism The arm I25 carries a roller I2'I which is adapted to coact with lobes I28, I29 and I30 formed integral with a cam member I3I fast on a shaft I32. The shaft I32 is journaled at its ends in the side frames H5 and H6 and is given one complete clockwise rotation, through the medium of a train of gears I33 to I31, inclusive (Fig. 5), by the main drive shaft I00 during each operation of the machine. This likewise causes the cam member I3I to be rotated clockwise and the lobes I28, I29 and I30 thereof, one after the other, coact with the roller I21 and rock the arm I25 counterclockwise, against the action After each lobe clears the I25 clockwise. ments of the arm I 25, through an edge I38 thereof coacting with a rod I I3, causes the hammer I9 to be rocked upwardly to take an impression from the type wheels. After each impression the hammer I9 returns to its normal position under the action of gravity, where it remains until again rocked upwardly as the result of one of the lobes coacting with the roller I2'I on the actuating arm I25.

After an impression has been made by the hammer 19 from the type wheels, a pawl I45 coacts with a pin I46 on the hammer arm II2 to prevent, in an old and well known manner, any possible rebound of the hammer.

The machine is so arranged that when no key 3 or 64 is depressed the printing hammer 19 will make only one impression. This is accomplished by means which, when the hammer actuating arm I25 is rocked counter-clockwise by the first lobe I28 of the cam member I3I, will hold said arm in such rocked position, against the action of the spring !26, until after the lobes I29 and I36 have moved idly past the roller I21, when said means will release the arm I25, whereupon the spring I28 will rock said arm clockwise to impart one printing stroke to the hammer 19. The means for thus holding the arm I25 in its rocked position will now be described.

Secured on a shaft I41 (Fig. 1) is a blocking arm I 48 which is adapted to be moved counterclockwise into the path of a roller I49 on the hammer actuating arm !35, after said arm has been rocked counter-clockwise by the lobe I28, and thus block any clockwise movement of the arm by the'spring I26 until the proper time for actuating the hammer 19 to make an impression. The means for controlling the operation of the blocking arm I49 is as follows.

Pinned to the shaft I41 (Fig. 5) is an angular lever I55 which is bifurcated at one end to embrace a stud I56 carried by an arm I51 loosely mounted on the shaft I I4. The arm I51 is connected by a sleeve to an arm I58 having a pin E59 engaged by a bifurcated portion of a feeling element I65 pivoted on a stationary stud IBI. A spring I62 constantly tends to rock the arm I51 clockwise but is normally prevented from doing so by lever l1!) pivotally' mounted on a stud "I. The lever I11, carries at one end a stud I12 engaged by another bifurcated portion of the lever L55, while at its other end it has formed a flange 13 and carries a roller I14, said flange eoacting with the periphery of a cam I secured to the shaft I 32.

The cam I15 receives one complete clockwise rotation with the shaft I32 during each operation of the machine. When a shoulder I89 formed on the cam I15 passes by the flange I13, the lever I15 is thus freed to be rocked clockwise, through the lever I55, by the spring I 52. When this occurs, the spring I62 rocks the arm I51 clockwise and the lever I55 counter-clockwise. Such counter-clockwise movement of the lever I55 rocks the shaft I41 and blocking arm Hi8 likewisethus placing the latter in the path of the roller I59 on the hammer actuating arm I25, thereby blocking it against further operation. When the arm I51 is rocked clockwise as just described, the arm I59 will thereby be rocked likewise and in so doing will rock the feeling element E56 counter-clockwise so that the upper end thereof is in contact with the periphery of a control disk 58L Near the end of the clockwise rotation of the cam $15 a cam surface I82 thereon coacts first with the roller I15 and then with the flange I13 and cams the lever I15 counter-clockwise to its home position. The roller I14 is provided to reduce friction between the arm I19 and cam H5. Such movement of the lever I15 results in the restoration of the lever I55, arms I51 and 58 and feeling element I69 to their home positions. At this same time the blocking'arm I48 is moved clockwise to its home position, thus removing it from the path of the roller I49 to thereby permit the spring I 26- to rock the arm I25 clockwise to impart a printing stroke to the hammer 19.

If the special key 63 is depressed, then the differential mechanism controlled thereby will disk I8I'to cause three impressions to be taken from the type wheels will now be described.

The differentially movable actuator 80 (Fig. 4) has formed integral therewith a toothed segment I9I which meshes with a gear I92 loose on a shaft I93 suitably mounted in the frames H5, H6 and H8. Thus when the actuator 80 is differentially positioned under control of the key 63, the segment I9I will rock the gear I92 clockwise a corresponding extent. The gear I92, being connected by a sleeve I94 to a gear I95 (Figs. 3 and 5), will in turn cause the latter to be rotated clockwise a like extent. The gear I95 meshes with a gear I96 which, together with the control disk I8I, is secured to a sleeve I91 loose on a shaft I 99 mounted in the frames I I5, II 6 and H8. Such clockwise movement of the gear I95 will accordingly rotate the gear I96 and control disk it'l counter-rc'lockwise to a position where a projection I99 on said disk is directly opposite the upper end of the feeling member" l6ii. From this it will be seen that when the cam I15 releases the lever I10, as hereinbefore explained, to permit the spring I62 to rock the arm I51 clockwise, thereby moving the blocking arm I48 into its effective blocking position, the 1- projection I99 will pervent counter-clockwise movement of the feeling member I60 and, consequently, prevent the spring I62 from rocking the arm I51 clockwise. Thus the spring I62 is prevented from rotating the shaft I41 counter-clock- 340 wise and the arm I48 will remain in its normally ineffective position. From this it will be seen that the spring I26 will be free to rock. the hammer actuating arm I25 clockwise each time the latter is rocked counter-clockwise by the lobes I28, I29 and I39 on the cam member I35, thus causing the hammer 19 to make three impressions from the type wheels.

On the other hand, if the special key 64 is depressed the differential mechanism will adjust the control disk I8I to cause the printing hammer 19 to make only two impressions. The manner in which this is accomplished is as follows.

Also pivotally mounted on the stud I6I (Fig.

is an auxiliary feeling member 205, the upper end of which is normally held in cooperative relation with the periphery of the control disk I8I by a spring 266 connecting said member to the feeling member E55. A lower bent over portion of the member 255 carries a roller 251 which is normally out of the path of a lug 268 on the cam I15. Depression of the key 64 causes the differential mechanism to rotate the control disk IBI counter-clockwise to cause the projection I99 to coact with the member 255 and rock it slightly' into its effective position, as previously explained, thus holding the arm I25 in the position in which it has been rocked by the lobe I28, no impression will be made by the hammer 19. However, after the lobe I29 has passed idly by the roller I21, the lug 298 will coact with the roller 201 and cam the latter further clockwise until said roller coacts with the flange I13 on the lever I19 and rocks the latter counter-clockwise. Such counter-clockwise movement of the lever I19 causes the arm I48 to be returned to its normal ineffective position, thus releasing the arm I25, under the action of the spring I26, to actuate the hammer 19 to take an impression from the type wheels. As the lug 298 clears the roller 201 the spring I52 again rocks the lever I10 clockwise and the shaft I41 counter-clockwise, thus tending to rock the arm I48 again into its efiective blocking position with relation to the roller I49. However, the arm I25 being at this time in its home position, the upper side of the arm I48 merely contacts the under side of the roller I49 and has no effect on the arm I25. Before the third lobe I39 on the cam member I3I becomes eiiective, the cam surface I82 on the cam I15 coacts with the flange I13 to return the lever E18 and, consequently, the blocking arm I48 to their home positions, so that the lobe I30 can coact with the roller I21 and rock the arm I25 counter-clockwise in the manner previously explained, after which the spring I26 will rock the arm I25 clockwise to cause another impression to be taken from the type wheels by the hammer 19.

Record material feeding mechanism Feeding mechanism, constructed along lines old and well known in the art, is provided for feeding an inserted slip during the intervals between the different strokes of the printing hammer 19 during each operation of the machine. This mechanism will now be described.

Pivotally mounted on the shaft H4 is an arm 2i5 (Figs. 2 and 3) carrying two rollers 2I6 and EH cooperating with a pair of cams 2I8 fast on the shaft I32. The arm H is provided with a laterally projecting pin 220 which extends through a slot 22I formed in an arm 222 also pivctally mounted on the shaft 4. The arm 222 is connected by a sleeve to a companionate arm (not shown), both carrying a rod 223 having loosely mounted thereon two rotatable feeding segments 224. The two segments 224 are connected together by a sleeve 225 so that they will operate as a single unit. A spring 226 also serves to connect the arm 2I5 with one of the support arms 222.

When the shaft I32 is rotated clockwise, as heretofore mentioned, the cams 2I8 thereon rock the arm 2I5 slightly clockwise. When this occurs, the arm 2I5, through the medium of the spring 226, moves the supporting arms 222 clockwise, thereby raising the feeding segments 224 until they extend through an opening 221 in a record material carrying table 228. The segments 226 will then cooperate with a pair of anti-friction rollers 229, loose on a stationary stud 239, to feed an inserted slip or other form of record material at the proper time.

Before being raised to their effective feeding positions, the feed segments 224 are rocked clockwise preparatory to performing their feeding function. The means for thus rocking the segments will now be described.

A cam 236, fast on the shaft I32, is provided with a cam groove 231 which coacts with a roller 238 on an angular lever 239 pivoted on a pin 240 mounted in the frame H6. The lower portion of the lever 239 is provided with an elongated slot 24I and is connected to another lever 244 also having formed therein an elongated slot 243. A bolt 242 extends through both of the slots 24I and 243 to connect the two levers 239 and 244 together, said bolt being clamped by nuts (not shown) in one of said slots. One arm of the lever 244 is connected by a link 246 to one of the feed segments 224.

Prior to raising the feeding segments 224 to their effective feeding position, the lever 239 is rocked clockwise by the cam groove 231 in the cam 236. 242, rocks the lever 244 and, at the same time, the feed segments 224 clockwise, thus moving the segments to their initial feeding position, after which said segments are raised to their effective positions, as before explained.

Before -the counter-clockwise feeding movement of the segments 224 is begun, the printing hammer 191s permitted to make a first impression. The roller 238 then coacts with an eccentric portion of the cam groove 231 and, through. the medium of the parts 239, 242, 244 and 246, rocks the feeding segments 224 counter-clockwise sufiiciently to feed the record material one step of movement. The printing hammer 19 is then again permitted to make a second impression before the record material is given a further feeding movement by the segments 224. After such second impression, the roller 238 coacts with another eccentric portion of the cam groove 231 to cause the feed segments 224 to rock counterclockwise to their home positions, as viewed in Fig. 2, and while doing so feed the record material another stepof movement. The printing hammer 19 is then permitted to make a third impression before the cams 2l8 cause the segments 224 to be lowered to their normal positions, out of cooperative relation with the antifriction rollers 229, thus releasing the inserted record material to be withdrawn from the machine.

Since the construction and operation of the invention has been fully explained in connection with different operations in which the printing hammer 19 effects each of the different number of impressions of which it is capable during an operation of the machine, it is thought that a further description of the operation of the machine would only amount to repetition.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form or embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of type wheels; a single printing hammer for making impressions therefrom; a retractable actuating member for said hammer; an element for normally retracting and releasing said member a plurality of times during an operation of the machine; and means for selectively holding said retractable actuating member in retracted position, out of cooperative relation with said element to thereby cause said hammer to make a variable number of imressions.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of type wheels; a single printing Said lever 239, by means of the bolt hammer for making impressions therefrom; a spring-tensioned retractable actuating member for said hammer; an element for normally retracting and releasing said member a plurality of times during an operation of said machine; manipulative devices; and means under control of said devices for selectively holding said actuating member retracted in spring-tensioned position and out of cooperative relation with said element to thereby cause said hammer to make a variable number of impressions.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of type wheels; a single printing hammer for making impressions therefrom; a retractable actuating member for said hammer; a spring to actuate said member from its retracted position; an element for normally retracting said member a plurality of times during an operation of said machine; manipulative devices; a control disk adjustable under control of said devices; and means under control of said disk for selectively holding said actuating member in its retracted position out of cooperative relation with said element to thereby cause said hammer to make a variable number of impressions.

4. In a machine of the class dsecribed, the combination of type Wheels; a single printing hammer for making impressions therefrom; an actuating member for said hammer; an element for normally operating said member a plurality of times during an operation of said machine; manipulative devices; a differential mechanism adapted to be set under control of said devices; a control disk differentially adjusted by said mechanism; means normally ineffective but adapted to be rendered efiective to selectively hold said actuating member out of cooperative relation with said element to thereby cause said hammer to make a variable number of impressions; and a pair of feeling members which coact with said disk to determine the efiectivity of said means.

5. In a machine of the class described, the

V combination of type elements; a single printing hammer for making impressions therefrom; a resilient actuating arm for said hammer; a roller on said arm; a cam for normally coacting with said roller a plurality of times to operate said arm a like number of times during an operation of said machine; a second roller on said arm; and means for selectively coacting with said second mentioned roller to hold said arm in a position where said first mentioned roller is out of cooperative relation with said cam to thereby cause the hammer to make a variable number of impressions.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of type wheels; a single printing hammer for making impressions therefrom; a resiliently operabie retractable actuating member for said hammer; an element for normally moving said member into retracted position a plurality of times during an operation of said machine; a cam; and means controlled by said cam for selectively holding said actuating member in retracted position out of cooperative relation with said element to thereby cause said hammer to make a variable number of impressions.

'7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of type wheels; a single printing hammer for making impressions therefrom; an actuating member for said hammer; an element for normally operating said member a plurality of times during an operation of said machine; manipulative devices; an actuator adapted to be differentially positioned under control of said devices; a control disk rotatably adjusted by said actuator; a cam; means controlled by said cam for holding said actuating member out of cooperative relation with said element to prevent operation of said hammer; and a pair of feeling members each of which is adapted individually to coact with said disk to alter the control normally exercised by said cam over said means to selectively control the operation of said hammer to make a variable number of impressions.

ERNST BREITLIN G. ERICH WAGNER. 

